The Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) was established in 1970 through the initiative of the Norwegian and Swedish Save the Children organizations, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health. In 2004, AHRI officially joined the Ministry of Health, and in 2016, it became a government health agency under Council of Ministers Regulation No. 376/2016.

AHRI maintains a strong network of national and international collaborators engaged in peer-reviewed grant projects, clinical trial partnerships, capacity-building programs, and the training of MSc and PhD students.

The Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Research (MNTD) Division of AHRI has secured various malaria-focused grants that include qualitative study components to be implemented across selected sites in Ethiopia, particularly in West Arsi Zone—Shashemene Zuria, Shalla, and Arsi Negele Woredas.

These studies aim to explore community understanding of malaria prevention strategies, utilization of prevention tools, local health practices, illness and treatment experiences, and the socioecological factors influencing malaria in the study areas. Additionally, the studies will assess the acceptability of treatment approaches among community members and healthcare professionals.

Accordingly, the MNTD Division is seeking a self-driven, motivated, innovative, and energetic Researcher II in Public Health to support the qualitative components of multiple malaria research projects, with a focus on formative research and community-based inquiry.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Develop the study protocol and oversee the ethical approval process from the IRB and relevant authorities

• Design qualitative data collection instruments and integrate them into the REDCap electronic data capture system

• Identify and engage community stakeholders around study areas to foster ownership and support a collaborative project environment

• Develop stakeholder engagement and integration strategies, ensuring informed consent/assent for participation in qualitative data collection

• Establish and maintain positive community rapport in host areas of the study

• Organize and train the qualitative research team on project objectives and data collection tools; provide daily supervision and guidance

• Monitor the quality of qualitative data in real-time, addressing errors or deviations promptly

• Oversee the transcription and translation process of qualitative data, ensuring accuracy through real-time quality checks

• Prepare and submit periodic progress reports to the Principal Investigator (PI) and partner organizations, as required

• Conduct qualitative coding and data analysis using appropriate software tools

• Draft and submit manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals

• Ensure timely and accurate entry of all qualitative data into the REDCap system

• Train junior researchers on qualitative coding techniques and relevant data analysis software

• Identify and procure necessary materials and tools to support the qualitative study team

• Serve as the liaison between data collectors, the project coordinator, and the Principal Investigator

• Perform additional duties as delegated by the PI

Job Requirements

Qualifications and experience:

• PhD degree in Public Health or other Social Science fields 

• At least 2 years and above relevant professional experience in qualitative research on malaria research projects after PhD and 6 publication points Or worked for 2 years as Researcher I and 3 publication points.

• Experience in Monitoring and Evaluation of projects and/or has MSc degree in Health Monitoring and Evaluation.

• The applicants must list their publications in their CV with appropriate links.

Desired Skills and Competences:

• Experience in qualitative research methodologies and proficiency with data analysis tools and software

• Proven experience leading qualitative studies, specifically in malaria-related health projects

• Strong ability to build and lead teams, with demonstrated resilience under pressure and tight deadlines

• Effective leadership and problem-solving capabilities, with a results-oriented mindset

• Skilled in stakeholder mapping, engagement, and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in Amharic, Afan Oromo, and English

Positions available: 1 (one) 

Duty station: Addis Ababa

Salary: as per the organization scale

Terms of employment: one year contract period with full time employment basis with possibility of extension based on performance and budget availability

How To Apply

Interested applicants who fulfilled the above requirements should send the following through THIS LINK

• A CV/resume (not more than 5 pages)

• A cover letter (note more than one page)

• A one page table summarizing your educational background, technical skills and competencies to facilitate the screening process

• Provide names of three reference with their e-mail address

• Publications should be listed in your CV